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The name of the village derives from the name “ad versus” (in fornt of, nearby) or “amnis versus” (toward the river), because of the vicinity of river Sagittario who dug the gorges overlooked by the village, located at 600 m above sea level on a spur.

“The mountains descend like cliffs, chipped, burnt, scary; the river gurgles among the rocks, goes down in small waterfalls and forms small lakes”, the description of an observer in 1912.

“The historic centre is dominated by the Norman castle (XII century), in ruins since the 1706 earthquake. Another predominant element is the S. Maria delle Grazie Church (XVI century), with the limestone Renaissance gate of 1540, ornated by a wonderful rose window of 1585 with the coat of arms of Anversa, with snakes twisted around the legs of a compass.

The narrow streets of the village go through the arched subways of the medieval village, with houses built with stone, mostly on a cliff.

Near the castle, there is the Belvedere sulle Gole del Sagittario and from here, along via Duca degli Abruzzi, you can reach San Marcello church, a Romanic building (XI century) with a late Gothic portal, with many sculptures with ornamental, vegetal and human elements and enriched by a lunette with a fresco representing Holy Mary, Jesus and two Saints, one of which bearing a millstone tied to his neck  as a sign of his martyrdom.

Walking around the village you will find Porta Pazziana, one of the remaining gates of the medieval walls, and you will get to a terrace overlooking the WWF Sagittario oasis and the village Castrovalva, with the antique churches Maria della Neve and San Michele Arcangelo.

From the Gole del Sagittario one can see a series of terraced buildings, the Case dei Lombardi (Lombard’s Houses), dating back to 1480-1520. Nearby there is a 1666 portal with symbolic representations of the San Domenico cult: the snake, the fish, the sword and the muleshoe. There are many talismans’ signs within the village.

From April to September the village organises a farmers’ market where producers sell extra virgin oil, saffron, truffles, mushrooms, homemade pasta, cheese, cured meats and other artistic artisanal products.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)